Cart loading system

Abstract

A cart loading system for loading materials on a cart in a orderly and compact manner even if the materials being loaded have different dimensions. The cart loading system includes a frame for positioning on a floor surface adjacent to a material shaping table, and at least one material support arm assembly for moving a piece of material from the material shaping table to a position over the frame. A carriage assembly is provided for moving a material cart in a first direction and a second direction with respect to the frame, and includes a subframe movable in the second direction on the frame and a shuttle mounted movable in the first direction with respect to the subframe. A first moving assembly is provided for moving the shuttle in the first direction on the subframe, and a second moving assembly is provided for moving the carriage assembly in the second direction on the frame. A detection assembly detects movement of material on the support arm assembly and generates a detection signal. A control assembly controls movement of the shuttle with respect to the frame, and moves the shuttle a predetermined distance in the second direction based upon dimensions of the material determined from the detection signal.

We claim:  
     
       1. A cart loading system for loading materials on a cart from a material shaping table for shaping pieces of material, the cart loading system comprising: 
       a frame for positioning on a floor surface adjacent to a material shaping table, the frame having a perimeter;  
       at least one material support arm assembly for moving a piece of material from the material shaping table to a position over the frame, the at least one material support arm assembly having a first end for mounting on the material shaping table and a second end for positioning above the frame;  
       a carriage assembly adapted for moving the material cart in a first direction and a second direction with respect to the frame, the  
       carriage assembly being movably mounted on the frame, the carriage assembly comprising:  
       a subframe mounted on the frame in a manner permitting movement of the subframe in the second direction with respect to the frame;  
       a shuttle mounted on the subframe in a manner permitting movement of the shuttle in the first direction with respect to the subframe;  
       a first moving assembly for moving the shuttle in the first direction on the subframe;  
       a second moving assembly for moving the carriage assembly in the second direction with respect to the frame;  
       detection means for detecting movement of material on the at least one material support arm assembly, the detection means generating a detection signal when material moves toward the second end of the at least one material support arm assembly; and  
       control means for controlling movement of the shuttle with respect to the frame, the control means being operatively connected to the detection means for receiving the detection signal from the detection means, the control means being adapted to move the shuttle a predetermined distance in the second direction based upon dimensions of the material determined from the detection signal.  
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  additionally comprising a cart for transporting materials, the cart including a support frame having a first side portion and a second side portion, the first side portion having a first support surface and the second side portion having a second support surface, the first and second support surfaces forming a substantially V-shaped channel. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1  wherein the frame has a pair of first sides and a pair of second sides, the pair of first sides generally extending in the first direction and the second sides generally extending in the second direction, the first direction being oriented substantially perpendicular to the second direction, a first one of the first sides being positionable toward the material shaping table. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3  wherein the subframe has a first end and a second end, the first and second ends of the subframe each being movably mounted on one of the second sides of the frame. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one material support arm assembly includes a bar member having a perimeter and an elongate flexible member extending along and movable generally along the perimeter of the bar member. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein a pair of material support arm assemblies are included for mounting on the material shaping table in a substantially spaced, parallel relationship. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  wherein the shuttle comprises: 
       a bed having a top for supporting the material cart and a bottom; and  
       a plurality of rollers each being mounted on the bottom of the bed and resting on the subframe for facilitating movement of the shuttle on the subframe.  
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1  wherein the first moving assembly comprises: 
       a first motor mounted on the subframe, a drive sprocket being mounted on the first motor;  
       a driven sprocket rotatably mounted on the shuttle; and  
       a chain extending about the drive and driven sprocket, a portion of the chain being fixed on the shuttle such that rotation of the drive sprocket by the first motor in a first rotational direction moves the shuttle toward a first one of the ends of the subframe and rotation of the drive sprocket by the first motor in a second rotational direction moves the shuttle toward a second one of the ends of the subframe.  
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1  wherein the first moving assembly comprises: 
       a first motor mounted for movement with the shuttle, a drive sprocket being mounted on the first motor; and  
       a chain being mounted on an upper surface of the subframe, the chain extending longitudinally between the ends of the subframe, the drive sprocket having a plurality of teeth engaging a portion of the chain such that rotation of the drive sprocket by the first motor in a first rotational direction moves the shuttle toward a first one of the ends of the subframe and rotation of the drive sprocket by the first motor in a second rotational direction moves the shuttle toward a second one of the ends of the subframe.  
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1  wherein the detection means comprises an optical sensor. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  wherein the optical sensor is mounted on the at least one material support arm assembly at a position spaced from the second end of the at least one material support arm assembly. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1  wherein the control means comprises a processor in communication with the detection means and a second motor of the second moving assembly. 
     
     
       13. A cart loading system for loading materials on a cart from a material shaping table for shaping pieces of material, the cart loading system comprising: 
       a cart for transporting materials, the cart having a base frame, a plurality of wheels mounted on the bottom of the base frame, each of the wheels being mounted adjacent to a corner of the base frame, each of the wheels being oriented for rotation about substantially parallel axes, a support frame being mounted on a top of the base frame, the support frame having a first side portion and a second side portion, the first side portion having a first support surface and the second side portion having a second support surface, the first and second support surfaces lying in planes oriented substantially perpendicular to each other to form a substantially V-shaped channel, the planes of the first and second support surfaces each being oriented at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane;  
       a frame for positioning on a floor surface adjacent to a material shaping table, the frame having a perimeter, the frame having a pair of first sides and a pair of second sides, the pair of first sides generally extending in a first direction and the second sides generally extending in a second direction, the first direction being oriented substantially perpendicular to the second direction, a first one of the first sides being positionable toward the material shaping table;  
       at least one material support arm assembly for moving a piece of material from the material shaping table to a position over the frame, at least a portion of the material support arm assembly extending over the frame, the at least one material support arm assembly extending over the first one of the first sides, the at least one material support arm assembly having a first end for mounting on the at least one material shaping table and a second end for positioning above the frame;  
       wherein the at least one material support arm assembly includes a bar member having a perimeter and an elongate flexible member extending along and movable generally along the perimeter of the bar member, the elongate flexible member comprising a chain being entrained on the perimeter of the bar member, the chain having a plurality of teeth mounted thereon, the teeth being positioned on the chain at substantially uniform spacings;  
       wherein a pair of material support arm assemblies are included, the material support arm assemblies being oriented substantially parallel with respect to each other, the material support arm assemblies being laterally spaced from each other, the teeth on the chains of the material support arm assemblies being adapted to move along the bar members with a connecting axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the bar members;  
       a carriage assembly adapted for moving the material cart in the first direction and the second direction with respect to the frame, the carriage assembly being movably mounted on the frame, the carriage assembly comprising:  
       a subframe mounted on the frame in a manner permitting movement of the subframe in the second direction with respect to the frame, the subframe having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends of the subframe each being movably mounted on one of the second sides of the frame;  
       a shuttle mounted on the subframe in a manner permitting movement of the shuttle in the first direction with respect to the subframe, the shuttle comprising:  
       a bed having a top for supporting the material cart, the shuttle having a bottom, a pair of tracks on the top of the bed for receiving wheels of the material cart, a stop being mounted on at least one of the tracks for blocking movement of the material cart off of the bed in one direction; and  
       a plurality of rollers each being mounted on the bottom of the bed for facilitating movement of the shuttle on the subframe, each of the rollers comprising a substantially spherical ball mounted in a socket, the socket of each of the rollers being mounted on the bottom of the bed;  
       a first moving assembly for moving the shuttle in the first direction on the subframe, the first moving assembly being manually actuatable; wherein the first moving assembly comprises:  
       a first motor mounted on the subframe, the first motor being mounted adjacent one of the ends of the subframe, a drive sprocket being mounted on the first motor;  
       a driven sprocket rotatably mounted on the shuttle;  
       a chain extending about the drive and driven sprocket, a portion of the chain being fixed on the shuttle such that rotation of the drive sprocket by the first motor in a first rotational direction moves the shuttle toward a first one of the ends of the subframe and rotation of the drive sprocket by the first motor in a second rotational direction moves the shuttle toward a second one of the ends of the subframe;  
       a second moving assembly for moving the carriage assembly in the second direction with respect to the frame, the second moving assembly comprising:  
       an elongate flexible member extending along one of the second sides of the frame, the elongate flexible member having a portion thereof mounted on the subframe such that movement of the elongate flexible member moves the subframe in the second direction with respect to the frame, the elongate flexible member comprising a chain loop mounted on spaced sprockets, each of the spaced sprockets being located adjacent to one of the first sides of the frame;  
       wherein a pair of the chain loops are provided with each of the chain loops being positioned adjacent to one of the second sides of the frame such that the chain loops are oriented in a spaced, substantially parallel relationship, each of the chain loops being mounted on the spaced sprockets adjacent to one of the ends of the subframe;  
       a second motor being mounted on the frame, the second motor being positioned adjacent to the first one of the first sides of the frame, the second motor having a rotational axis oriented substantially parallel to the first sides;  
       transferring means for transferring rotational motion from the second motor to the chain loops, the transferring means comprising:  
       a driver pulley being mounted on the second motor and being rotated by the second motor;  
       a transfer assembly including:  
       a driven pulley;  
       a loop member rotationally connecting the driver pulley and the driven pulley;  
       a transfer gear case having an input member mounted for rotation with the driven pulley, a pair of opposite output members, and a plurality of gears connecting the input member to the output members;  
       a pair of transfer shafts being rotationally mounted on the frame, each of the transfer shafts being connected to one of the output members of the transfer assembly, the transfer shafts being positioned adjacent to the first one of the first sides, the transfer shafts extending substantially parallel to the first sides of the frame, the transfer shafts having a pair of opposite ends, each of the opposite ends being positioned substantially adjacent to one of the second sides of the frame;  
       wherein one of the spaced sprockets is mounted on each of the transfer shafts,  
       detection means for detecting movement of material on the at least one material support arm assembly, the detection means generating a detection signal when material moves toward the second end of the at least one material support arm assembly; and  
       control means for controlling movement of the shuttle with respect to the frame, the control means being operatively connected to the detection means for receiving the detection signal from the detection means, the control means being adapted to move the shuttle a predetermined distance in the second direction based upon dimensions of the material determined from the detection signal.